Friday, May 15, 2020

COVID-19 May Never Go Away, Just Like HIV: WHO

COVID-19 May Never Go Away, Just Like HIV: WHO

As Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire, showing no signs of stopping in the near future, World Health Organisation (WHO) executive director Michael J Ryan on Wednesday said that this deadly virus is just another 'endemic' virus that never goes away just like the HIV infection

As Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire, showing no signs of stopping in the near future, World Health Organisation (WHO) executive director Michael J Ryan on Wednesday said that this deadly virus is just another 'endemic' virus that never goes away just like the HIV infection.

"This virus just may become another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away. HIV has not gone away," CNN quoted Dr. Michael J Ryan as saying.

Although the two diseases are completely different, nobody can predict when or if COVID-19 will disappear just like in the case of HIV, he added.

Further, Ryan said that easing down lockdown measures can lead to a 'renewed transmission' of the virus which will force the government to impose another lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

He pointed out that the number of cases needs to be reduced to the 'lowest possible level' in order to lift the lockdown restrictions, adding that reopening when the COVID-19 cases are high will lead to accelerated transmission.

"If you can get the day-to-day number to the lowest possible level and get as much virus out of the community as possible, then when you open, you will tend to have less transmission or much less risk. If you reopen in the presence of a high degree of virus transmission, then that transmission may accelerate," Sputnik quoted Ryan as saying.

As the pandemic wreaks havoc across the world, the world is in desperate need for a vaccine. "we may have a shot at eliminating this virus but that vaccine will have to be available, it will have to be highly effective, it will have to be made available to everyone and we'll have to use it." Ryan said when asked about the vaccine issue.

In the United States-the worst affected COVID-19 country, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a vital member of the country's Coronavirus task force, has also warned against an early lifting of lockdown restrictions in the country, asserting that it will trigger an outbreak which will be difficult to control leading to 'suffering and deaths' which can be avoided.

"There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control and, in fact paradoxically, will set you back, not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided but could even set you back on the road to try to get economic recovery," Fauci told the US senate panel on Tuesday about the early lifting of lockdown restrictions.

He further reiterated that governments must follow steps recommended by health experts, and must not lift the lockdown until there is a decline in the number of infections.